Melissa Gilbert or, as most may know her, Laura Ingalls Wilder, is hoping to go from little house to the White House, as a Democratic candidate for Congress, from central Michigan.
Gilbert, 51, has quickly and quietly built a well-funded congressional bid within the last two years, thanks to a seemingly bottomless list of celebrity contributions, including Alec Baldwin, Michael Douglas, Jennifer Garner and Kiefer Sutherland, who recently donated $5,400 to her campaign, reports the Washington Post.
Having come a long way from her days on the 1970s TV drama Little House on the Prairie, Gilbert, who once dated Rob Lowe, is now married to her third husband, Timothy Busfield.
As the story goes, when Gilbert got involved in the failed 2014 Michigan gubernatorial campaign of Democrat Mark Schauer, locals began confiding in her.
“People were knocking on our doors and she was taking the time to deal with them,” Busfield recalled. “People were saying, ‘My mom is dying.’ And I would be like, ‘Where are you going?’ and she’d be, ‘I’m going to their house. Their mom wants to meet me.’ … It seemed natural from there that [people] would come to her and say, ‘Can you represent us and are you interested in doing it?’”
Mrs. Ingalls-Wilder goes to Washington
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2016 6:59 pm
by RayThom
Name recognition + Money = Hello Congresswoman Gilbert-Busfield. She'll probably make a run for the Little White House when Hillary's time is up in 2024.
Re: Mrs. Ingalls-Wilder goes to Washington
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2016 7:11 pm
by Bicycle Bill
What the heck. Iowa sent Fred Grandy ('Gopher' from "The Love Boat") to Congress; California elected Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sonny Bono (among God only know how many others) to public office; and Minnesota voted for a pro wrestler as their governor; so the bar has not been set all that high.
Good luck to you, Ms. Gilbert — or however you choose to refer to yourself. -"BB"-
Re: Mrs. Ingalls-Wilder goes to Washington
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2016 8:32 pm
by Gob
Could be a better choice
Re: Mrs. Ingalls-Wilder goes to Washington
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2016 9:06 pm
by Sue U
Gob wrote:
Could be a better choice
I had a bet going on what your comment would be.
I lost.
Re: Mrs. Ingalls-Wilder goes to Washington
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 12:39 am
by rubato
It was a shriveled little thing. Atrophied from long disuse. Couldn't have charged much for it.
yrs,
rubato
Re: Mrs. Ingalls-Wilder goes to Washington
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 11:17 am
by Crackpot
Sue U wrote:
Gob wrote:
Could be a better choice
I had a bet going on what your comment would be.
I lost.
Dod you over or undershoot the response?
Re: Mrs. Ingalls-Wilder goes to Washington
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 12:51 pm
by BoSoxGal
'Your system is NUTS' or 'I'd shag her!'?
Re: Mrs. Ingalls-Wilder goes to Washington
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 1:05 pm
by Burning Petard
About 45 years ago I was living Midland Michigan and active in local politics. That is just about as central to Michigan lower peninsula as you can get. The congress critter for our district had not physically been in the actual district for more than ten years. Thinking back on it, I don't know how he managed the legal residence requirements. He did not even show up in his home district on the first tuesday after the first monday in November. That is what you call a 'safe' district. One party domination. Do your ass-kissing to the party bosses, vote the party line in the House, and you get the nomination.
In 1968 there was a good bit of turmoil locally over the war--sending our boys to do what Asian boys ought to do for themselves. It scared the congress critter enough that he returned to the district to present a federal check to a local indian reservation, make a speech at Central Michigan University, and show up at a Rotary meeting.
I have lost most of my contacts back in Michigan, but I have no doubt this carpet bagger could get elected. Don't forget minor success as a tv comedian put Al Franken in the Senate where he now seems to be a pretty reasonable public servant.
Re: Mrs. Ingalls-Wilder goes to Washington
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 1:09 pm
by Crackpot
She's been here for a long time. None would describe her as "carpetbagger"
